Bleeding Hearts
by lovethebroken
Summary: In the holiday hustle and bustle, some of the richest men are being murdered. Although the case may seem easy and self-explanatory, there are numerous suspects with motives to kill. CB suggestive-BR


Title: Bleeding Hearts

Disclaimer: I don't own Touching Evil or its characters. USA Network gets all the credit...I'm just having fun and being a fan...please don't sue me.

Ch 1

The Christmas lights gave a soft glow off the house. Susan Branca looked up at the lights and smiled. She liked to look at Christmas lights but she hated having to deal with holiday rudeness. She sipped her coffee while waiting for her partner, David Creegan. He was always late and she was used to it. Her eyes explored the outside of the house. It was beautiful, brick with blue and white trim, and a huge front porch. She sighed at the thought. Carl Baker owned the place, or did. He was found murdered in his living room by the maid about 6:15 this morning. She noticed the figure standing next to her and she knew immediately it was Creegan.

"I like this house...very home like. Christmas lights set as a nice decoration to show off the house. He probably wanted to flash off this huge amazing house, just like a rich guy...No, I take that back. He donated to charity," Branca shook her head smiling as she walked toward the porch stairs and Creegan continued, "I'm still sticking with my first assumption."

Branca stopped and looked at him and he smiled at her waving.

She smiled, "Good morning."

She sipped her coffee again as they stepped into the house. David looked at her strange, "Where's my coffee. Wasn't it your turn?"

She shook her head, "Nope yours."

"Then why do you have one?" Creegan held the same look as he put on his gloves.

"Because you don't."

"My point exactly."

She handed him the cup of hot liquid as she put her gloves on. He looked down at it.

"Don't even think about it, Creegan." She glared at him and took it back. Creegan mocked her little as she turned around to talk to the coroner.

"Forty-two year old male. Looks like he had a nice night of sex and drugs and then killer removed his heart." Coroner shrugged.

Creegan pulled back the sheet, "How do you know it was the heart?"

Coroner pointed to the wall, "Lucky guess."

Creegan and Branca looked over to see his heart stuck to the wall with a simple kitchen knife.

"Ouch..." Creegan commented. Branca shook her head. Rivers agreed as he walked over, "Yeah...really."

Branca smiled at him when she saw he had a cup of coffee. Creegan rolled his eyes. Rivers read from a notepad he had, "Maid said that Baker gave her the day off yesterday because he had a hot date, which FYI is a call girl named Bunny. She came in today at six am and found him on the floor, naked, and all dead like."

Branca moved to look at the pad, "Is that what she said?"

Rivers nodded. Creegan smiled wide, "Like totally."

Rivers laughed and Branca just walked away. Creegan and Rivers watched her walk away, "Was it something I said?" Creegan looked at Rivers and then back at Branca. Rivers patted Creegan on the shoulder, "Yep guess so pal."

Creegan and Branca were in their office. Branca was reading a file and Creegan was trying to play basketball with balls of paper and a waste-basket. Creegan was concentrating so hard it was throwing Branca off of hers. She looked up at him just when he made his first basket, "Whoa, a point! Creegan 1, basket 10."

Creegan glanced over at Branca, "Try it."

Branca looked over at Creegan, "I'm trying to work on the case."

Creegan shook his head in disappointment, "I'm trying to think about the case. See there's a 1 to 10 chance that we'll solve this case before the weekend."

Branca took off her glasses, "It's Friday Creegan."

"See it's already working," Creegan smiled big. He kept shooting and missing. He really was bad at this. He should stick to hangman. Branca smiled at him and opened her desk drawer revealing five paper balls. She took one out and said, "Hey."

He looked at her as she shot one and made it. Creegan looked at the distance between her and the waste-basket, which was at least twelve feet or so, and about eight for him.

Creegan stood up walking to her desk, "Bet twenty bucks you can't do three more."

Branca smiled, "You're on."

He watched as she picked up another and sunk it. "One." She did the same and grinned as it went in, "Two." And she went back to concentrating and shot it. It hit the rim and fell in, "Three. Pay up."

Creegan leaned on the desk and smiled sheepishly, "IOU?"

She laughed as she slapped him on the stomach, "By Sunday."

Swopes came in and smiled at the sight of Branca. Creegan stood up, "Swopes, long time no see. What you been up to?"

Swopes laughed a little, "Computers here, computers there."

He looked at Branca who was smiling softly at him. "I have those files you requested on Bunny, the call girl, Branca."

"Thank you." She started to get up and he stopped her. "No...here I'll set them down for you. You don't have to get up."

Creegan held back his smile as he sat down on the desk. Swopes liked her, it was obvious and everyone knew it. A blind man could even tell. Swopes smiled again as he backed out, "See you later...at the meeting. Bye Branca."

He exited out of the office and Creegan waved, "Bye Creegan. Oh, bye Swopes, have a good day. Oh you too Creegan."

Branca slapped him playfully on the stomach again as she opened the file and began reading it. Creegan crossed his arms, "He likes you."

"I like Hawaii, but you don't see me moving there, do you?" She smiled as he knelt down beside her, "Don't you ever go on dates?"

She shook her head, "I have a history with dating and engagements, David. You not remember?"

"What's her dating history?" he said as he pointed to the file. He knew if he didn't change the subject, Branca would be rude, mean, and distant throughout the day. That was all he needed.

"Ummm...she has dated or excuse me rumored to have dated the big wigs of the city. She, most of all, is the most popular. She has a rap sheet."

Creegan cleared his throat, "Circumstantial..."

"Ohhh...I've outwitted by a moron." She teased

"A smart moron." He laughed as he stood up, "Come on lets go get her side of the story."

Creegan pulled into a parking spot infront of The Pink Bunny. Creegan looked at the building and then back at Branca, "Who would name a strip club, The Pink Bunny?"

Branca smiled as she got out of the car and started walking toward the entrance. Creegan followed her in. The strippers were practicing at the time. Creegan roamed the room with his eyes as Branca asked the bartender for Bunny. He pointed in the back and she nodded thanking him. She looked back at Creegan who was nodding with the music. She almost felt embarrassed and then realized that he's crazy. If anyone asks, he just got out. That's what she'll tell them. Creegan smiled at her, "Wanna dance?"

She gave him a look and then motioned to the Employ's Only sign. He followed her and smiling. He wasn't looking at the women dancing up and down the poles or taking off their tops but he was looking at Branca. He was trying to imagine her doing that. He exhaled slowly as he got a mental picture.

Branca knocked on Bunny's door and she yelled to come in. They went in and she might as well have been naked. She was wearing a red tube top with white fur surrounding the edges, which was to small to hold her own and a red bikini bottom.

Bunny smiled, "Oh sorry about the wardrobe, I'm also a dancer here."

Branca smiled, "Well this is Creegan and I'm.."

"Agent Branca...the maid for Carl told me about you. She works for me."

Branca looked at her confused. She glanced back at Creegan who shrugged, "Oh...Janet, the maid, said she thought you had potential."

Creegan looked over at her quickly just in time to see her almost smile then maintain her serious interrogation mode face.

"How close were you with Carl Baker?"

Bunny popped her gum thinking, "Well.....I have been doing him for about maybe three years. He was awesome. Let me tell you something every woman needs a man like that. Some of the things he did...oohh...like he would...."

"What time did you leave the house?" Branca asked quickly. Creegan listened quietly.

"Umm..I had to be here at 5am so I left his house about 4 maybe 4:10. We all have to check in our little groups and share what happened, relax, have 'us' time and then we sleep and come to work later." Bunny smiled at Creegan. He flashed a smile and then went back to looking at things. Branca noticed this and felt it was time to leave.

"Alright, Bunny, we want to thank you for your time that you've given us and if anything comes up that you can remember, give us a call."

Branca pulled out a business card and Bunny took it as she blew another bubble and popped it, "This is you right, Susan?"

"Yes."

"I can reach you 'any' time." Branca just wanted to leave and Bunny was prolonging her stay. Branca nodded in her response. Creegan walked out and she followed him quickly. Creegan walked down the hall and Branca brushed past him, "Come on." She whispered.

Creegan slowed to agitate her even more and she grabbed hold of his sleeve and made him go faster. She let go as they stepped outside and Creegan laughed loudly, "Potential."

"Shut up and get in the car."

He got in and started it. She sat quiet in the car looking out the window. He looked at her and his smile faded, "I was just kidding Branca."

"I know."

"I think you'd make a great stripper." He smiled at her as she gave him a look and then a smile swept across her face, "I'd give you a free show..."

He took his eyes off the road and shifted them to her. He wasn't prepared for a comeback. He looked back at the road and laughed a little. Branca smiled as she went back to starring out the window, Branca 1, Creegan 0.

Ch.2

Everyone was sitting in the conference waiting for Enright to arrive. He was running late. Branca and Rivers were talking, Creegan was leaning back in his seat with his legs propped up, and Bernal was talking on his cell phone. River and Branca's laughing woke Creegan up. He looked over at them and sighed as he glanced at his watch, "Is there ten minute rule?"

"No there isn't." Everyone looked up as Enright came through the door, "I just was informed that Baker left everything to Janet, his maid."

Branca looked at Creegan funny and Creegan met her look, "What about Bunny, the call girl?"

Enright shook his head, "Nope. According to the maid statement, Baker was planning to break things off with Bunny last night."

Rivers crossed his arms, "So, we have a motive."

Creegan shook his head in disagreement, "If he didn't end it, then Maid has a motive, the money."

Branca looked back at Enright, "Do we know how much?

Enright looked at Swopes sitting in the very back, alone. Nobody had noticed him when he walked in with Enright. Everyone looked back at Swopes, "Around twelve million."

He looked at Branca who was caught up in something Rivers was whispering to her. Creegan noticed their talking. He thought it was strange she hadn't set by him. Usually she kept him in line during these meetings. Maybe she trusted him enough to stay out of trouble. He gave a half smile as he looked down at the table, 'Better rethink that decision.'

Creegan was looking at the case file. If he could just find a connection then this will all be over and done with. Vacation. A whole four days. He was excited about being bored with nothing to do. He looked at Branca who was putting postage stamps on her Christmas cards.

"Am I going to get one of those?"

Branca laughed, "Why? I see you all day long. Every day is Christmas to me."

Creegan placed his hand over his heart, "Aww...Susan, that is so sweet. It's too bad you didn't mean it."

"So what are you going to do with your free time?" Branca glanced at him.

"Well, I bought this really cool Santa suit at the resale shop and I thought about dressing up in it and hiring this really gorgeous helper elf to sit on my lap and then I proceed to ask her if she's been naughty or nice."

Branca starred at him with a blank face. Creegan grinned at her response and continued, "Wanna be my little helper?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Susan laughed, "Only in your dreams Creegan."

"That's how I go the idea."

She laughed at his comment. Branca stood up and Creegan spoke up, "Not yet, I don't have the costume on."

She shook her head as she gathered up her cards and her things, "You need help."

She put her coat on and began to walk out and Enright walked in, "The DA invited everyone to the Christmas party."

Branca started to shake her head no and Enright gave her a look, "Everyone 'has' to go. No questions asked. Just find someone to go with and put on a happy face."

He began to leave and then stopped, "Creegan."

"Sir?"

Enright pointed at him, "Get a tux."

Branca smiled as Enright left, "Oooh...a tux."

Creegan stood up and grabbed his coat, "You have to wear a dress..."

Branca rolled her eyes as she left with Creegan tagging at her heals.

Branca was driving down the main street trying to remember where the tux shop was. The sidewalks overrun with Christmas shoppers. There was just one more week til' Christmas. It made Branca a little sad she couldn't be with her friends and family. She looked over at Creegan who was playing with strip of curly ribbon he'd found in her back seat. Who was she kidding, Creegan had it rough. His family would not be here, at all. Branca pulled over into an empty parallel parking spot and took off her seat belt. Creegan looked around then at her, "What are we doing?"

"Getting you a tux."

He nodded as stuck the ribbon in his pocket and got out of the car following Branca down the sidewalk and then into a men's formal rental store. Creegan glanced around the room and saw an orange tux sample hanging on the wall and he tugged on her coat sleeve as he pointed, "Hey..."

"No.," she interrupted and began talking with the salesman, "He needs a tux. Black and white."

She looked at Creegan then back at the man, "Just a fancy black and white tux. No weird colors or anything in between...just..."

"I understand ma'am." The salesman smiled at her and she began to leave and Creegan called after her.

"Where are you going? You need to be here."

Branca shook her head, "I have to wear a dress Creegan, remember. You'll be okay."

She walked out of the store and down the block. She couldn't believe this; the man was solving gruesome crimes every other week and was afraid to be left alone in a store alone. She smiled and laughed a little...priceless...she thought. She wished she had had a camera to catch the expression on his face.

Creegan was setting outside the man's clothing store with his tux bag and two bags full of neatly rapped boxes, which was clearly done by a professional. Branca observed him as she walked toward him and he looked back around at her.

"It's about time, my butt is frozen to this bench."

"What did you get?" She asked nodding to the bags and he ignored the question.

"I'm gonna have to pry it off here." He said as he eased off the bench and Branca laughed at him, "Oh...you are hopeless."

He picked up the sacks and his tux bag and put them in the back. They both got in and he looked at the black dress bag.

"You gonna wear that? I guess you could if you cut arms and legs into it. But the real question...the zipper in the front or in the back?"

She looked at him like he was stupid and he shrugged pulling the string out again and began playing with it. Branca pulled out into traffic saying, "Definitely in the back."

Branca had fallen asleep on her couch while watching a movie. She hadn't even changed out of her work clothes yet. She opened her eyes to the banging on her front door. She laid there for a few seconds waiting to see if it was a dream or reality. The banging continued. It wasn't a dream. She rolled off the couch and went to open the door reluctantly. She unlocked it and jerked it open. Creegan was standing there leaning on frame with his fist paused in mid-air, "Finally."

Branca walked away leaving him there and he walked in closing the door behind him, "Don't you own pajamas?"

Branca laid back down on the couch, "I fell asleep here."

Creegan patted her on the back of her leg, "Go get dressed, there's been another murder."

She moaned, "Nooo...what time is it?"

"I don't know...three...four...who cares. Early bird catches the murderer. Clothes that don't stink ..go."

He helped her up and ushered to her room and then hurried back to the t.v. grabbing the remote. He plopped down on the couch and flipped through the channels. He sighed not even a minute later and switched the t.v. off. He got up and walked to the kitchen. He leaned on the bar glancing over her mail noticing a Christmas card from Rivers. He picked it up and removed it from the envelope and read the writing, 'Wishing you a warm and Merry Christmas—Mark'

He dropped it as he heard her coming up the stairs and tried to look as if he wasn't doing anything. Branca glanced at him and at the Christmas card that was noticeably out of character. "Did you drive?"

"Yeah...wanna ride?" Creegan flashed a smile and she smiled automatically. She quickly removed it and nodded, "Yes."

She followed him out of the apartment and to the elevator. She could only image how her unplanned dorky smile looked like. She began to push the down button and Creegan stopped her, "Here let me..."

He pushed it and grinned from ear to ear, "I love pushing buttons. They're fun."

It dinged and they walked in. David looked at Susan still smiling and she laughed a little shaking her head, "Go ahead."

He laughed as he pushed the ground floor button, "Ha ha."

Creegan and Branca walked up the sidewalk to the front door of the beautiful Victorian style mansion. Branca studied the house and Creegan noticed. "You like it?"

His question caught her off guard, "Oh...I...I...never mind."

David scrunched his eyebrows, "What? Tell me."

Susan shrugged, "I always dreamed that when I...if I ever got married we...my husband and I would have a huge Victorian home. Of course, that was the teenager thinking. The adult is telling me to get real."

She gave a small fake laugh to cover up her disappointment. David smiled softly, "Dreams can be reality."

She looked at him with a small smile and their eyes caught for a few seconds and Branca broke the stare and hurried through the door. Creegan followed her slowly.

The main attraction of the house seemed to be the hot tub out in the back. Branca put her gloves and followed a policeman to the back. Creegan was following her close. Branca saw Rivers and he looked up from the man's dead body and smiled at her. He got up and went to her. Creegan watched him and the closeness that came between Rivers and Branca. Creegan watched them for a second and then realized they were getting closer to one another. He walked over to them, "What's up?"   
Rivers looked surprised to see him, "Oh...um...," he walked over the body that was laying face up about a foot from the bloody hot tub. "Robert Ashdown. He's the brother of the Senator Jimmy Ashdown. Found this morning by his wife, Alice. Heart was found stapled to the wall in the master bedroom. The wife was at her sisters, which was just confirmed by about ten different people, so..."

Creegan knelt down and looked at the perfect stitches left. Branca looked around the scene and then back at Rivers, "Maid?"

"Glenda Shefter. Get this...she works at the Bunny place with Janet."

Creegan's head popped up, "Did Ashdown have a will?"

At the OSC...

Everyone was sitting in the conference room talking loudly about the case except Creegan who was pretending to be asleep in his chair. Swopes was messing with his computer and Bernal was watching. Swopes spoke up, "Ashdown's....will. Everything was left to the maid."

Creegan didn't open his eyes but spoke, "Alice?"

"Um...she asked not to be included in his will."

Creegan rubbed his eyes before opening them and saw Branca watching him. He averted her eyes and moved to Swopes, "Did she say why?"

Bernal interrupted, "Her family is rich, Creegan. Their marriage was just for publicity. She saw others and so did he."

Enright came in and slammed down a newspaper, "Do we have any clue who this 'Bleeding Heart' killer is? Or should I just call and ask the editor of Times?"

Branca stood up reaching for the paper, "What?"

Enright handed it to her, "The anonymous journalist knows every single detail of the case. Even down to the suspects we haven't even claimed as suspects yet."

Everyone was quiet not saying a word. Branca looked at Creegan and turned the paper around to show him. It was a picture of the two standing on the front porch of victim number one froze in a smiling frame. Rivers reached for the paper and began reading it.

Creegan huffed, "They didn't even get my good side."

Rivers spoke loudly, "Listen to this...Agents David Creegan and Susan Branca enjoy their morning coffee and small talk as the dedicated police officers of this city are working the case themselves."

Creegan stood up flustered, "That's not right, I didn't even get coffee that morning."

Enright snapped at Creegan, "This is not a time for jokes."

Creegan shook his head as he reached for the paper, "Look, it's probably some rookie cop wanting attention, so he gave a journalist everything."

Enright sat down in his chair, "Okay, see more...?"

Creegan looked at the bottom of the column and found the reference. He opened it up and found separate pictures of them. He swallowed as he read down Branca's. He stopped mid-way and looked up at her. Susan caught the look, "What?"

Creegan cleared his throat and then began reading, "An informative for the newspaper has been notified of Susan Branca's history. It certainly hasn't been an easy road for Branca, with her fiancé killing himself in their apartment almost four years ago and then recently, her boyfriend being killed in the bedroom of her current apartment. Several working employs for the OSC have questioned her ability and her stable mentality for working cases of this stature."

David stopped and looked down at her. She wasn't making a sound or even movements, she was just starring at the back of the newspaper. She realized he had stopped reading and looked around the room and everyone was starring at her. She stood up and gathered her notepad and pen and began to walked out. Creegan laid the paper down, "Who questioned her?"

Enright looked around at the team and they were silent. Creegan nodded, "You know I could see criticizing me, but Susan has done nothing."

Creegan left the room going after her.

Ch. 3

Creegan opened the door to their office, she wasn't there. Her things were still on her desk, so she hadn't left. He went to the Ladies Restroom and opened it slowly. He walked in and kneeled down, "Susan?"

He walked on his knees across the tiles glancing under the stales briefly, "Susan?"

He came to the fourth one and saw her sitting on the floor, "Susan..."

He tried to push the door opened but she had locked it. He laid down on his back and scooted in under the door. He propped the upper half of his body up and his legs were still hanging out into the isle. Branca was sitting Indian style with her elbows propped up on her knees. Creegan watched her as she cried into her hands. Branca wiped away the tears and gave a small smile, "What are you doing?"

"Supporting you. You're going to get your pants dirty." Creegan propped his body up with his elbow.

"Is this worth it?" Creegan looked around as if he were looking for someone, "You are getting an extra break aren't you?"

She smiled. It was a real Susan Branca smile. Creegan smiled in response, "Good thing I didn't dress up today, huh?"

Susan looked down at his faded jeans and rough and tight looking red t-shirt. She nodded, "You trust me right?"

"If I didn't would I being laying on my back in the ladies restroom?" Branca just starred at him and he nodded, "Bad example..."

"Yeah...it was good though."

Branca sat at her desk in silence starring at the two murder files laid open on her desk. Creegan was crumbling paper into balls and stopped looking up at her. He picked up a paper ball and tossed it at her landing on her desk. She looked up, "Creegan...I was reading."

Creegan stood up and walked to her desk, "You've been on these pages for almost forty-five minutes."

Branca closed the files, "I was comparing."

Creegan nodded, "Okay. I'm hungry. Are you hungry? Let's go get something to eat."

Branca started to object and stopped as she saw Rivers come in. She smiled and Creegan looked behind him and then back at her. Rivers put on his smile as he looked at her, "I was about to grab lunch...you hungry?"

Creegan answered for her, "We were about to get something. But I'm sure you can 'tag' along if you want."

Rivers nodded, "Sure. Let me get my coat."

Branca put on her coat, "We'll be in Creegan's car."

Rivers quickly walked out and Creegan began putting on his coat, "You getting sweet on him?"

Susan was surprised her eyes wide with shock, "No...we just...met in the middle."

David scrunched his eyebrows, "Met in the middle...hmmm. What was on the outside?"

Susan rolled her eyes, "Look, we just see things eye to eye now. We put the past behind us and you know, Mar...Rivers isn't that bad."

They both were in step as they were walking down the stairs. Creegan broke it when he stopped walking and pointed to her causing her to stop a few steps down, "You almost said Mark."

"No..."

"Did too." Creegan continued down the stairs leaving Branca to catch up. Branca hurried to his side, "I call you David."

"That's not the same."

"How is that not the same?"

He opened the door leading to the parking lot allowing her to go first, "Partners, Susan."

Branca stuck her hands in her coat pockets trying to keep them warm, "A team, David."

He rolled his eyes as he opened the driver door, "Shut up, Susan."

Rivers interrupted, "Do I have to separate you two?"

Creegan sighed as he got in and Branca flashed a quick smile at Rivers as she slide into the seat. Rivers barely got in when Creegan threw the car in reverse and then sped out of the parking area.

Creegan came to a stop infront of the Hiller's mansion. Two blocks down from Ashdown's. Branca and Rivers got out. Creegan took more time. Rivers left his food in the car and Branca brought her fries. Creegan, although, brought everything with him. He handed the sack to Branca to hold as he dug for his cheeseburger. Rivers went to talk to the local's leaving Branca and Creegan standing alone on the front lawn. Branca held the sack for Creegan as he ate and she ate her fries as best as she could. Creegan noticed that she was starring at him, "What?"

He said with a mouth full. She laughed a little, "You...have mustard on your face."

He swallowed his food and tried to lick it of with his tongue, but had no success. Branca suppressed her smile as she pointed at it, "It's...higher...above your lip on the left side."

He tried to reach it with his tongue again and missed. She laughed a little as she took her napkin and wiped the mustard off of his face. He smiled a little as he caught a shimmer in her eyes. "Am I a baby now?"

"You do remind me of one sometimes." Susan laughed a little and looked down at his cheeseburger. He held it out offering a bite, "Bite?"

"No...I'm good. Got my trusty fries with me."

He grinned at her and took another bite and tried to offer another piece and she shook her head as she stepped back. He laughed almost choking on the mouth full of food. Branca tilted her head as she watched him cough, "Are you okay?"

He nodded as he leaned over trying to clear his throat. Branca smiled, "Good."

He looked back up at her giving her a look.

Rivers came back toward them, "Hey...Greg Hiller. Daughter found him dead in his bed around forty minutes ago. His heart was nailed to the wall above the headboard."

Creegan pressed past him to the house. Branca and Rivers followed. Creegan appeared in the master bedroom door. He wrapped his cheeseburger back up and handed it to Branca. She gave him a look. Creegan shrugged, "I can't examine the body with food in my hand."

She took it away and threw it in the bag. Creegan shook his head as he put on his gloves and walked slowly to the body looking over the area. Branca sat the bag down in a nearby chair and went to the opposite side of Creegan. She looked back at Rivers, "Where is the coroner?"

"Talking to the police out back." Creegan bent over the body looking at the stitching, "The killer has some kind of medical background."

Branca was looking thru the day planner left on the night stand, "Anybody can stitch."

"Can you sew?"

Branca turned to the addresses in the planner, "When I have to."

"Yes, but can you sew up a body and make it look this good? Cause I have to admit this isn't that bad."

Rivers finished talking to the police officer and turned back to them, "Daughter said that 'father' had a girlfriend who was quite a catch. If you know what I mean."

Rivers shrugged, "As far as I'm concerned any girlfriend that I have is a catch."

Creegan smirked and Branca grinned at his comment, "You actually have girlfriends?"

Creegan got down on his hands and knees looking under the bed. Rivers laughed, "Yes...believe it or not."

Branca went to stand next to him, "Ever date any cops?"

Rivers looked down at her and gave a small sly smile, "I've thought about it."

Creegan jumped back up, "Thought about what?"

Rivers and Branca said, "Nothing."

Enright sat at the head of the conference table looking around at everyone. He slowly chewed on his gum and then took in a breath, "Do we know anything?"

Bernal looked over at Swopes for something. Swopes didn't say or do anything. Bernal looked back around the room. Rivers shrugged, "Well....Bunny knows and was involved with all three of the victims. And Bernal and I went to bring her in for questioning but she is no where to be found. She didn't even show up for work last night."

Creegan was trying to balance his pen on the ball point. Susan starred at him and then at Rivers, "Not even her 'support group'?

Creegan looked at her. He loved watching her mind work. He followed her eyes to her focal point, Rivers. Branca could tell the group was clueless to her and Creegan's findings, "When we went to see Bunny at the club, she said that all of them check in every morning. Maybe they've seen her, but they don't want to tell us. We need to find out who is in the group."

Thanks for your comments....more Bleeding Hearts to come later!!


End file.
